Zeus god of Thunder – Velchanos – Greek mythology

Zeus Velchanos With one exception, Greeks were unanimous in recognizing the birthplace of Zeus as Crete. Minoan culture contributed many essentials of ancient Greek religion “by a hundred channels the old civilization emptied itself into the new” -Will Durant observed, and Cretan Zeus retained his youthful Minoan features. The local child of the Great Mother “a small and inferior deity who took the roles of son and consort” This indicates he was never her son, the role was taken whose Minoan name the Greeks Hellenized as Velchanos, was in time assumed as an epithet by Zeus, as transpired at many other sites, and he came to be venerated in Crete as Zeus Velchanos “boy-Zeus” often just simply the Kouros. In Crete, Zeus was worshipped at a number of caves at Knossos, Ida and Palaikastro. In the Hellenistic period a small sanctuary dedicated to Zeus Velchanos was founded at the, Hagia Triada site of a long-ruined Minoan palace. Broadly contemporary coins from Phaistos show the form under which he was worshiped: a youth sits among the branches of a tree, with a cockerel on his knees. On other Cretan coins Velchanos is represented as an eagle and in association with a goddess celebrating a mystic marriage. Inscriptions at Gortyn and Lyttos record a Velchania festival, showing that Velchanios was still widely venerated in Hellenistic Crete. The stories of Minos and Epimenides suggest that these caves were once used for incubatory divination by kings and priests. The dramatic setting of Plato’s Laws is along the pilgrimage-route to one such site, emphasizing archaic Cretan knowledge. On Crete, Zeus was represented in art as a long-haired youth rather than a mature adult and hymned as ho megas kouros, “the great youth”
Zeus was the King of the gods from Mount Olympus in Greek mythology, His actions and deeds speak louder than words as far as his character and Epithets are concerned of which there are many. Zeus, Apollo and Hermes are a large part of the Greeks ancient culture of myths and legends, please watch video for more information on Zeus Valchenos at Mythology Explored by ancient mystery on youtube.